Phillips: Trade to Eagles 'greatest thing that's happened to me'
Newly acquired Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Jaelan Phillips is quite happy with the Miami Dolphins' decision to trade him to the defending champions.
"I thought I was excited day one, I mean, talk to me now," Phillips said after his first practice with his new team, according to ESPN's Tim McManus. "This is literally the greatest thing that's happened to me in my whole life.
"The guys are awesome, everybody's been super welcoming. I love the environment, I love the vibe here. The city of Philly has given me a very warm welcome. I got about 20 times the amount of Instagram likes that I ever got on a post before from the Philly fans."
Miami dealt Phillips to the Eagles for a third-round pick Monday. The 2021 first-round selection has been with the Dolphins his entire career and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
Phillips suffered season-ending injuries in 2023 and 2024 but has bounced back this campaign. He's recorded 25 tackles, seven quarterback hits, and three sacks in nine contests for the Dolphins. Phillips has been especially productive when it matters most, with his 17 pressures ranking fourth among all edge rushers on third down, according to TruMedia.
Philly is hoping Phillips can boost a pass rush that ranks 24th in sacks per game heading into Week 10.
"Super excited by that pick, man. He's awesome," left tackle Jordan Mailata said this week, according to NBC's Dave Zangaro. "Guy has a lot of tools in his bag but they're not rusty. He sharpens them and keeps them. He has a lot of answers for a lot of the stuff that we do. Not only did he give Lane some trouble, he gave me some trouble too. Glad he's on our side now."
Philadelphia's front seven will likely look a lot different when it faces off against the Green Bay Packers on Monday night. Brandon Graham, who they signed out of retirement after spending the last 15 years with the Eagles, is expected to make his 2025 debut. They are also likely getting Nolan Smith back, who was a full participant in practice Thursday after spending the last few weeks on injured reserve with a triceps ailment.
The Eagles are 6-2 and currently atop the NFC.